1. You may identify the stasis in the play but it isn’t necessarily at the beginning of the play. Where is it and who does it involve? NOTE: Do not assume that the stasis of the play is the same as the stasis of the video version that you are required to see. Only discuss the play in this and answers to the following questions.
The stasis is in/around Crown Heights in New York. It involves different people that live in the area or are involved with people in the area. The play visits different settings in this area as it is a series of interviews with different people in different places.
2. Ball points out that the intrusion sometimes occurs late in the dramatic action. What is the intrusion that breaks the stasis in Fires in the MIrror and how is it broken?
If you have not learned the background of the play and the main topic that's discussed throughout, before seeing the play, then the play seems a bit confusing and without context. In this case, I would believe that the intrusion comes about when Rabbi Joseph Spielman and the Reverend Canon tell the audience exactly what happened to cause all of this discourse and these interviews to take place. This part reminds the audience what is happening and what is being argued.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor that is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place? Hint: the unique factor may have something to do with you? How does the title figure in your answer?
The play takes place around these times because it is based on historical events and interviews that came as a result. It is historically accurate with some theatrical changes in costume or setting. The play is all done by one person playing multiple characters, so this has the underlying effect that "we are all one in the same", everyone is human, and when they look in the mirror, they see the rage of this common issue they are involved in. The rage is the flames that reflect on all the people involved.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
The audience will be lead to ask what actually happened, and who is truly at fault. Everyone has different stories and different views, so there is no factual evidence that comes up. It's just a matter of which person seems more convincing. The audience will also ask, will there be justice? This is not answered in the play, so people are inspired to look further and research when they leave the play, to be more informed on the events.
5. Use the narrator of the work to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, ie. The dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what these particular characters wants. The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles facing the narrator.
The whole play is full of conflict. The narrator is neutral, because the views are taken from different sides. There is the conflict between who is right, who is wrong, and who is honest. That is all based on opinion. In a way, when characters are portrayed, it's a constant back and forth conflict between the blacks and the jews. This also leads to the conflict with society, which is the conflict with the media. Many of the characters discuss the portrayal of the issue being biased in the media, causing more unrest. There seems to be no conflict with God because most people in the play show religious practice and have faith that God will judge correctly. These people believe that they are in the right so there is no spiritual conflict.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Fires in the Mirror.
The most theatrical moments in the play are when people become passionate or excited. The two who stood out to me the most were Carmel Cato and Roslyn Malamud in the end. Carmel showed emotion and pain for his son. Roslyn was just very excitable and sort of gave a loud excitement to bring the audience back in. Also, the intrusion mentioned before I would say is a theatrical moment because it provides the information needed to fully understand what's going on.
The stasis is in/around Crown Heights in New York. It involves different people that live in the area or are involved with people in the area. The play visits different settings in this area as it is a series of interviews with different people in different places.
2. Ball points out that the intrusion sometimes occurs late in the dramatic action. What is the intrusion that breaks the stasis in Fires in the MIrror and how is it broken?
If you have not learned the background of the play and the main topic that's discussed throughout, before seeing the play, then the play seems a bit confusing and without context. In this case, I would believe that the intrusion comes about when Rabbi Joseph Spielman and the Reverend Canon tell the audience exactly what happened to cause all of this discourse and these interviews to take place. This part reminds the audience what is happening and what is being argued.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor that is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place? Hint: the unique factor may have something to do with you? How does the title figure in your answer?
The play takes place around these times because it is based on historical events and interviews that came as a result. It is historically accurate with some theatrical changes in costume or setting. The play is all done by one person playing multiple characters, so this has the underlying effect that "we are all one in the same", everyone is human, and when they look in the mirror, they see the rage of this common issue they are involved in. The rage is the flames that reflect on all the people involved.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
The audience will be lead to ask what actually happened, and who is truly at fault. Everyone has different stories and different views, so there is no factual evidence that comes up. It's just a matter of which person seems more convincing. The audience will also ask, will there be justice? This is not answered in the play, so people are inspired to look further and research when they leave the play, to be more informed on the events.
5. Use the narrator of the work to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, ie. The dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what these particular characters wants. The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles facing the narrator.
The whole play is full of conflict. The narrator is neutral, because the views are taken from different sides. There is the conflict between who is right, who is wrong, and who is honest. That is all based on opinion. In a way, when characters are portrayed, it's a constant back and forth conflict between the blacks and the jews. This also leads to the conflict with society, which is the conflict with the media. Many of the characters discuss the portrayal of the issue being biased in the media, causing more unrest. There seems to be no conflict with God because most people in the play show religious practice and have faith that God will judge correctly. These people believe that they are in the right so there is no spiritual conflict.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Fires in the Mirror.
The most theatrical moments in the play are when people become passionate or excited. The two who stood out to me the most were Carmel Cato and Roslyn Malamud in the end. Carmel showed emotion and pain for his son. Roslyn was just very excitable and sort of gave a loud excitement to bring the audience back in. Also, the intrusion mentioned before I would say is a theatrical moment because it provides the information needed to fully understand what's going on.